sturgis

Here is our Rv in Memphis, Tn and Phil getting ready to leave to go to the motor cycle rally in Sturgis. I was a little worried because of the big pack he was taking. Kinda dwarfed him I thought and might not let him see behind him very well. Well he said he looked in his mirrors and they set out far enough.

My next question was how are you going to get on and off of the bike? He said the same way I'd get on and off of it if I had a rider. Oh.

He got on just fine and he was actually taller than the pack so what am I so worried about.

Nothing I guess

well maybe him looking like a real biker

and without his biker momma.

No actually someone had to go to work Friday night and I was elected.

As I waved goodby I thought of all the things I would do now that I'm by myself.

He called me at work and said he'd gotten to Sturgis OK and rode with some other bikers going there. He met somebody from Lincoln, Ne and the guy recognized him as the person who has given him his hearing test for the last 2 years.

WOW.

Phil said there were girls walking around topless, loud music and alot of people. Not bluegrass music and nothing like Winfield. Should I be worried now! The next call I get is at midnight and my honey was in his tent and going to sleep he had had a long day and was tired.

He is on his way home as we speak - pray he has a safe ride. Maybe someday I'll ride with him it is just that I can't seem to get excited about riding on a motorcycle. I use to back in my 20s but that was aaaaaaaaaa long time ago and I'm kinda over it. I'd rather be home watching my grandkids riding there bikes.

Soooooo I think when we retire in Sept we will probably be planning on two different retirement lives-his includes canoeing the Mississippi, biking, watching the space shuttle take off and spending our winters in Az. Mine includes a cruise or two, keeping my 13 year old granddaughters in line, watching Asa and Ivy play soccer and Brennan play football and Cambree being Cambree, and then spending our winters in Az.

Oh yes this Sturgis is in Kentucky his next Sturgis is in Arkansas and then the big one in SD.

Oh yes I spent all day Saturday sleeping, awake all night (not much to do then) and Sunday sleeping again. Working nights doesn't let you have much a life.

me

Titled this me in little letters. Trying to put my life in perspective and I see. Not as bad as Palins or the grieving families of soldiers who have died or many others my life is easy. So there it is I have got it figured out.

The lady who said I yelled at her is my bff (i think that is it). She has health problems and so now I have convinced her to see a doctor and she is going to see him Thurs and tells me she is going because I showed sincere caring for her. I pray her results are good.

Our badges now let us into park close to security and allows us into the building to use the bathroom. I am still "wand" when I go thru the airport type security at Fed ex because of my knees-but that is OK. We have 3 more weeks of nights and then go to days for 5 weeks.

We are still being hounded by IRS and State of Ks for back taxes due. Kansas says we haven't filed taxes since 2004-well there is a reason for that. Our residence has been in SD since 2004, but since we showed our Valley address as a mailing address we now have to prove where we live. KS is wanting only $7000.00 Federal wants twice that. We have turned it over to someone new but I'm thinking we should maybe get us a good tax attorney. Any ideas or money? This to will pass.

My eating habits are lousy right now. We have 2 meals a day. If you are diabetic then you know that is not good. So I'm thinking us retiring will be a good thing for our health.

I saw pictures of Mike on Loni's facebook and was so happy to see him enjoying his granddaughters. I pray for Mike and Patty, I love them both and want to see them enjoy life again. You know you can enjoy life where you are in life. It is up to you. When will I learn to follow and apply these thoughts to my life.

Ok so you have guessed I'm feeling a little low today but this to will pass. I know I'm tired. I heard on the radio yesterday that a person working nights never gets used to it because their biological clock is reset every morning by the sun. I thought I was getting use to working nights and then 4th of July happened.

Well I need to wake Phil up so we can get ready to go to work. And start our day over again.

I'll regroup and be better tomorrow. Thank God there is always tomorrow.

This is Olive Branch, Mississippi a town that will be special in our minds for along time. We are working in Memphis, Tn. and had to take our 5th wheel into get the toilet worked on. Soooooo since we couldn't sleep we decided to go file for Social Security. YEA. The closest one was here.
A very nice lady took a us right away and had us signed up before we knew it. Wouldn't let us take pictures of the momentous occasion. As of Sept 1 we will be officially on Social Security. Getting our first checks the 3rd Wed in October. It is really kinda scary to me. We are retiring the Sept 10th, our last job here in Memphis, Tn. Please keep Jennifer and her family in your prayers her father is getting a new pace maker
today (she was our nice lady)

I worked Wed night by myself while Phil went to Beale Street Bike Night. He said it was slow and the band that he liked last year wasn't there but you know Phil he had a good time. When I got home Wed morning we took our 5th wheel in so I got no sleep. He went to work with me Th and got off at 1am for 4th of July Holiday so after sleeping for 4hrs we went out to eat. This is the Blue Plate the #1 rated breakfast restaurant in Memphis-Elvis ate here alot. The inside is pretty cute.

This was a rough week for me. I got into it with our contact person Mon. She told us we had no access to the building (incidentally is where the bathroom is). I told her that that was not acceptable and I would not work under those conditions. Oh we had access to the restroom but we had to ask someone to unlock the doors for us. You don't tell an old lady who takes a water pill that she cannot go to the restroom when she needs to go. We have not seen her since and now we have badges to admit us into the building. Yea for the good guys.

This probably happened for a reason. I think it made us head to the Social Security Office faster.

So for that I am thankful.

3rd week and counting

Tennessee Championship BBQ was held this weekend literally in our backyard. Phil volunteered to help (got a free T-shirt) it is a annual fundraiser for Alzheimer's, (Phil's dad and my mom). You paid $10 to get in, $5 for 5 ribs, and $5 a beer. Why people come to this I don't know. The bbq cookoff food went to the hospitality tent and the volunteers got to eat all they wanted. So Phil had a great 2 days. You can see a couple of the BIG cookers. There were 70-80 teams represented, a team from Florida was camped next to us.



Ivy left for Y camp in Tulsa, Ok yesterday. This is her second year there. She was doing a real good job for her softball team before leaving. Got 3 hits 4-5 RBIs and a double. Way to go Miss Ivy.

Audrey's coach took her to Emporia to watch older girls tournament play so she could learn more but the entire tournament was a rain out. Her coaches like her and thinks she is interested in learning more about the game not there just for the social side (boy does she have them snowed).

Asa went to Boy Scout camp with his dad last weekend up around Abilene. He was the rock climbing champ. Asa his dad and another father and son were walking and the other dad was telling jokes. So Asa said he had a joke. And he told the joke that Grandpa tells about the Panda going into the bar and Laramie said he did a great job. The funny thing is - Laramie was just getting ready to tell it too.
Becki was in the kitchen and Cambree said "mom come here" "Mom come here" So Becki went to her and said "what Cambree" Cambree said "mom I lost my know how" Becki said "you lost what"? Cambree said "I lost my know how- I don't know how to do this". Don't you just love those little ones and the funny things they say!!!!

This one will get ya: Brennan asked his mom if he would ever be normal. Becki said Brennan this is 'your normal'. You think I will always be diabetic mom. Yes Brennan I think you will be. You mean you don't think they will ever find a cure, Brennan said. Becki answered him, Yes but not real soon. OK I was just wondering he said and Becki finished giving him his 4th insulin shot for the day. Pray for a cure soon. Here Brennan this is for you.


This is a banana peanut butter sandwich. I eat this alot and it is good. Thought you might like it too. The other day I had my apple with peanut butter like you do so you can try this now. Hope you like it.
We had a busy week at work. Our computer froze up on me just as I was finishing up the days work so TK had to overnight us a new one and we had to install it. We tested 1588 people last week and were only schedules to test 1100. Fed Ex says we are almost 1/2 finished with the night people and we have only been here 3 weeks. What will we do for the next 6 weeks ?? The people stand outside our test unit for 2 hours waiting to be tested. They are suppose to be putting a stop to that this week so we will see what happens.
Hope you fathers had a great Father's Day. I called my dad. Wish I could have been there to give him a hug. I love you dad.

what a week

Pretty sites in Tennessee. Lots of Magnolia trees. Can't figure out exactly when they bloom but when you see them flowered out it is really beautiful.

I thought Memphis was along ways from Valley Center but, Memphis got even further away from Valley Center this past week.

What a week we had. Got a call from Becki Sun 6-7 and Rick, my brother, fell 18' from a ladder at home. Ambulance to hospital. Ended up with a broken hip, badly dislocated shoulder and severe laceration on his arm. Had hip surgery on Mon with a couple rods and went home Wed. He is having PT at home and then will go out to PT. WOW he was blessed and definently he was not flying alone. Phil told him he should not forget his cape next time. haha

Wed morn, 6-10, got a call from Becki and she said Mike, my brother in law, had a stroke. Mike was going to help Becki and Jon with there condo and he didn't show up so they called Patty and she went home from work and found Mike in bed. Took him into the hospital. Determined he had a stroke effecting his speech and thought process. He went to rehab 6-16. Phil has plans for the two of them later on this year, after we retire, to go to a blues festival in Mississippi so Mike had better hurry up and get better. Go Mike Go. we love you.

We went to a supper Sun night it was the sound off for the FunFest. Phil is volunteering to help the festival. It is a fund raiser for Alzheimers Assn here in Memphis. It is the Tennessee Championship BarbQue cook off. They will have 70-80 teams in competition. It is right next to where we are parked so the smell will probably be over whelming. Hmmmmmmm. Pictures will follow later.

Praying for Rick and family and Mike and family back home. Love you all

true confessions

I'm a yeller and I hurt peoples feelings. There I have said it so it must be.

At 3:00 this morning while working I was told by a lady helping us work that I yelled at her and hurt her feelings. She was sending people in to have there hearing tested and we were not ready. We had told her before that we would let her know when to send them in well I was not ready for the next 10 and she sent them in. So I told them they would have to leave and go back into the building until we were ready. She stood in the doorway and said why was I sending them back in. I said we are not ready. And she said that she needed to know why. I'm sorry - she didn't need a reason right then and I didn't have time to explain AGAIN. So I said I was testing and had a problem and I would explain later. So when things settled down I called her in to my office and tried to explain why. She then told me that I had hurt her feelings. This lady in her late 50's would not listen when I tried to apologize and waked off and after that she wouldn't answer back on the walkie talkies'. Phil had to be the go between. It made me laugh and want to cry.

We had all worked a long week of 7pm-4am and I'm sure we were all tired and ready for our week to be over - but. I don't think I yell (couldn't ask Phil because I have yelled a time or two at him over the last 40 some years). And I would never hurt someone's feelings on purpose, would I? Boy here I am in Memphis alone and now learning who I am. WOW not sure I can handle all this. I think I need a hug.

OK I'm thru now. Just had to get this off of my chest.

We start working from 9pm until 6am, Mon thru Sat morning for the next 8 weeks. Aug 1 I think it is. We are beginning to get use to it.

We have started working out. Starting slowly-I rode my bike for 5 minutes (minutes not miles). Actually my knees didn't hurt like I thought they might since I hadn't ridden for awhile. Anyways I plan on increasing it daily. We have a farmers market up the hill from us so we have been buying fruits and veggies. So hopefully Memphis bbq won't be to hard on us.

Sorry no pics like I say we have been only sleeping and working this week. Send us news from home we enjoy getting it.

ball games 2009

Here is Brennan sliding into home the 3rd base coach couldn't make up his mind to send him home or not, so Brennan was caught in between before deciding to run home. He was called out but as you can clearly see in the picture he wasn't touched by the ball. Should have been a home run. (which he got the next nights game). He is a pretty good little hitter-his out fielding still needs some work, or is it "his attention". He played on diamond 1 next we are off to diamond 4, same time for Asa.

sh Asa had a good swing but struck out this time his next time up he hit the ball but we missed it because we were walking to the two different diamonds. Sorry Ace.

His first time up, which we missed also, he got a hit. Well he didn't hit the ball-the ball hit him!!!

As you can see on his back the big red splacht in the shape of a ball. It hurt but by the time we saw him he was on 3rd base. Yea for tough Asa.

Our next game was on Diamond 1 just an hour or two later is Ivy. Couldn't get real good pictures it was dark soon and I was moving slow I guess. She has a real good batting stance, can hit the ball

but let me tell you she runs like a girl. Her answer to that is "I am a girl". Gotta love her. She does enjoy playing ball and her best friend Katie is on the team. Why do they put fences around the batting area? Don't they know us grandparents want to take pictures!

Now here is the real reason to go the the ball park. That is where the boys are. right girls?! Audrey plays ball and can hit the ball, runs hard and looks really cute in her uniform. Rami just goes for the fun. haha. Audrey didn't have a game tonight so we missed watching her play and we won't be home to see anymore games-sorry Aud. Here they are doing what they do best having fun. Love them cuties.

We really were lucky to be able to see 3 out of the 4 playing ball play at least one game. Brennan called us yesterday and said he got a "homerun" he was so excited. His dad Jon is the coach and I'm sure he was beaming. You'll have to ask him how he became the coach. (The league needed a coach or no team. Becki volunteered to coach and Jon said you know nothing about the game and you know I'll end up doing it. Boy does Becki know her husband.) Jon ends the evening after a game at home trying to relax he says 14 boys are a real handful. He had 2 ladies in the dugout helping with the boys and he has assistant coaches. But Jon is a very positive and warm coach. I love him.